When it comes to growing sales on Amazon, reviews are one of the most critical factors.

In particular, in the Japanese market, both the number of reviews and ratings have a significant impact on purchasing decisions.
In fact, products with few reviews or low ratings tend to struggle to convert, no matter how much advertising traffic they receive.

In this article, we’ll explore practical ways to increase Amazon reviews and explain how they directly impact advertising performance—especially DSP.

Why Are Reviews So Important?

Reviews are not just “feedback”—they are a key driver of sales performance.

• More reviews and higher ratings → Higher CVR (conversion rate)
• Higher CVR → Improved advertising efficiency (ROAS)
• Ultimately → Increased sales

In Japan especially, there is a strong perception that “fewer reviews = higher risk,” making reviews a decisive factor in the buying process.

Reviews Are Essential for DSP Success

In recent years, more brands have started leveraging Amazon DSP. However, what truly matters is the quality of the product detail page.

No matter how much traffic DSP campaigns generate, if:

• There are few reviews
• Ratings are low

…it becomes very difficult to drive conversions.

👉 In other words,
strengthening reviews is a prerequisite for DSP success.

5 Ways to Increase Amazon Reviews

1. Leverage the Amazon Vine Program

One of the most effective methods, especially for new products or listings with few reviews.

It allows you to quickly gain high-quality, trustworthy reviews, making it ideal for the initial launch phase.

2. Use the “Request a Review” Feature

The “Request a Review” function in Seller Central is the safest and most recommended method.

It enables you to send review requests to customers in a compliant and automated way.

3. Utilize Coupons and Promotions

By increasing the number of purchases, you naturally expand the pool of potential reviewers.

This is particularly effective during the product launch phase.

4. Improve the Unboxing Experience

Not only product quality, but also the unboxing experience influences reviews.

• Careful packaging
• Including brand story inserts
• Simple user guides

Small touches like these can lead to more positive reviews.

5. Drive External Traffic (SNS & Communities)

Leverage social media and existing customer bases to increase traffic to your product pages, thereby creating more opportunities for reviews.

However, it’s important to stay fully compliant with Amazon’s policies.

Practices to Avoid

When implementing review strategies, strict adherence to Amazon’s guidelines is essential.

The following practices carry a risk of account suspension:

• Incentivized reviews
• Excessive review requests
• Improper redirection outside of Amazon

👉 Building long-term trust is far more important than short-term review gains.

m19’s Approach: “Reviews × Advertising”

Reviews should not be treated in isolation—they must be optimized together with advertising.

At m19, we help maximize sales by:

• Analyzing CVR based on advertising data
• Designing ad strategies that reflect review performance
• Optimizing both DSP and Sponsored Ads

Conclusion

To succeed on Amazon, it is essential to focus on both:

• Strengthening reviews
• Optimizing advertising

These two elements must work together.

Especially in the Japanese market, where reviews have a significant impact,
it is impossible to maximize advertising performance without a strong review strategy.

SOPHOLA, Inc.
Executive Officer
Kaori Iino